COLREGs Rule 2: Responsibility under the Navigation Rules
Last reviewed: October 14, 2026
Rule 2 says the Rules do not excuse a vessel, its owner, master or crew from the consequences of neglect. It allows a departure from the Rules when necessary to avoid immediate danger. The Inland text adds alternative compliance certificates and a duty to carry a copy of the Rules.
Applies toThe text applies to vessels, their owners, masters and crews; the Inland carriage duty applies to the operator of each self-propelled vessel 12 meters or more in length.
What it says
Nothing in the Rules excuses a vessel, or its owner, master or crew, from the consequences of neglecting to comply with the Rules or neglecting any precaution required by ordinary practice of seamen or special circumstances.
COLREGs Rule 2(a)“Nothing in these Rules shall exonerate any vessel, or the owner, master or crew thereof, from the consequences of any neglect to comply with these Rules”
In construing and complying with the Rules, due regard must be had to all dangers of navigation and collision and to any special circumstances, including the limitations of the vessels involved. These may make a departure from the Rules necessary to avoid immediate danger.
COLREGs Rule 2(b)“due regard shall be had to all dangers of navigation and collision and to any special circumstances, including the limitations of the vessels involved”
Inland: When the Secretary determines that a vessel or class of vessels of special construction or purpose cannot comply fully with the Rules on lights, shapes or sound-signaling appliances, the vessel must comply with the provisions the Secretary determines to be the closest possible compliance.
COLREGs Rule 2(e)“the vessel shall comply with such other provisions in regard to the number, position, range, or arc of visibility of lights or shapes”
Inland: The Secretary may issue a certificate of alternative compliance for a vessel or class of vessels, specifying the closest possible compliance with the Rules.
COLREGs Rule 2(e)“The Secretary may issue a certificate of alternative compliance for a vessel or class of vessels specifying the closest possible compliance with these Rules.”
Inland: The Secretary may accept a certificate of alternative compliance issued by a contracting party to the International Regulations if it determines that the contracting party's standards are substantially the same as those of the United States.
COLREGs Rule 2(f)“The Secretary may accept a certificate of alternative compliance issued by a contracting party to the International Regulations”
Inland: The operator of each self-propelled vessel 12 meters or more in length must carry on board a copy of the Rules and maintain it for ready reference.
COLREGs Rule 2(g)“The operator of each self-propelled vessel 12 meters or more in length shall carry, on board and maintain for ready reference, a copy of these Rules”
Common questions
Can I depart from the Navigation Rules to avoid immediate danger?
Yes. Due regard must be had to all dangers and special circumstances, which may make a departure from the Rules necessary to avoid immediate danger.
“which may make a departure from these Rules necessary to avoid immediate danger”
Do I have to carry a copy of the Inland Rules on my boat?
Inland: The operator of each self-propelled vessel 12 meters or more in length must carry a copy of the Rules on board and maintain it for ready reference.
“The operator of each self-propelled vessel 12 meters or more in length shall carry, on board and maintain for ready reference, a copy of these Rules”
Does the Navigation Rules Handbook meet the requirement to carry the Rules?
Yes. The text says this Handbook or similar facsimiles, such as those published by NOAA's Office of Coast Survey, may be used to meet the requirement.
“This Handbook or similar facsimiles of the Navigation Rules, such as those published by the”
What is a certificate of alternative compliance?
Inland: It is a certificate the Secretary may issue for a vessel or class of vessels, specifying the closest possible compliance with the Rules.
“The Secretary may issue a certificate of alternative compliance for a vessel or class of vessels specifying the closest possible compliance with these Rules.”
The text of COLREGs Rule 2
U.S. Coast Guard, Navigation Rules and Regulations Handbook
Rule 2: Responsibility
International (COLREGs)
(a) Nothing in these Rules shall exonerate any vessel, or the owner, master or crew thereof, from the consequences of any neglect to comply with these Rules or of the neglect of any precaution which may be required by the ordinary practice of seamen, or by the special circumstances of the case.
(b) In construing and complying with these Rules due regard shall be had to all dangers of navigation and collision and to any special circumstances, including the limitations of the vessels involved, which may make a departure from these Rules necessary to avoid immediate danger.
Inland Rules
(e) Whenever the Secretary determines that a vessel or class of vessels of special construction or purpose cannot comply fully with the provisions of any of these Rules with respect to the number, position, range, or arc of visibility of lights or shapes, as well as to the disposition and characteristics of sound-signaling appliances, the vessel shall comply with such other provisions in regard to the number, position, range, or arc of visibility of lights or shapes, as well as to the disposition and characteristics of sound-signaling appliances, as the Secretary shall have determined to be the closest possible compliance with these Rules. The Secretary may issue a certificate of alternative compliance for a vessel or class of vessels specifying the closest possible compliance with these Rules. The Secretary of the Navy shall make these determinations and issue certificates of alternative compliance for vessels of the Navy.
(f) The Secretary may accept a certificate of alternative compliance issued by a contracting party to the International Regulations if it determines that the alternative compliance standards of the contracting party are substantially the same as those of the United States.
(g) The operator of each self-propelled vessel 12 meters or more in length shall carry, on board and maintain for ready reference, a copy of these Rules*. Responsibility
(a) Nothing in these Rules shall exonerate any vessel, or the owner, master, or crew thereof, from the consequences of any neglect to comply with these Rules or of the neglect of any precaution which may be required by the ordinary practice of seamen, or by the special circumstances of the case.
(b) In construing and complying with these Rules due regard shall be had to all dangers of navigation and collision and to any special circumstances, including the limitations of the vessels involved, which may make a departure from these Rules necessary to avoid immediate danger. * This Handbook or similar facsimiles of the Navigation Rules, such as those published by the NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey, maybe used to meet this requirement. For the USCG policy on the use of electronic charts and publications to meet U.S. carriage requirements see the USCG Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular 01-16 CH-2 at https://www.dco.uscg.mil/NVIC.
The plain-English explanation on this page was written with AI from the regulation text above and checked automatically before publishing: every quote appears in the text, every number comes from it, and a second model confirmed each statement adds nothing the text doesn't say. Regulation text current as of August 12, 2024. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.